Ben Horowitz
Comfortable with D Minuses
Inspired by Ben Horowitz episode
Ben Horowitz says you can't be an A student at everything. Some things will be D work. Choose which ones. Same applies to parenting dimensions.
Ben Horowitz says you can't get A's in everything. You have finite capacity. Some things get your best effort. Others get D-minus effort. The key is choosing your D's on purpose.
You can't nail homemade meals AND quality connection AND a clean house AND outdoor time. Something's getting a D. Multiple things, probably.
Right now your kid is eating dinosaur nuggets for the fourth night while wearing pajamas that achieved consciousness. But you sat on the floor listening to their theory about why clouds are mad at trees. That's your A. The laundry pile blocking the hallway? That's your D.
Choose your D's deliberately. If connection matters, the house looks like a crime scene. If healthy food matters, dinner prep takes three hours. There is no combination where everything is an A.
The parents having breakdowns are demanding A's everywhere. The parents who are okay? They've made peace with their D's. The towels can stay a D until 2027.
